Heretofore, the handling of doffed wound thread packages from spindle assemblies of thread processing machines, such as twisters, spinning frames, winders and the like, has been either manually by an operator in doffing each of the wound thread packages from the various spindle assemblies or by a conveyor belt type mechanism which receives the doffed wound thread packages either from an automatic doffing mechanism or by manual doffing and which carries the doffed wound thread packages to the end of the machine at which location the wound thread packages are transferred in some manner, usually manually, into a package container or are handed over to another mechanism present at the end of the machine. The wound thread packages are then transported to additional thread processing stations, such as twisters, winders, creels, packaging mechanisms, looms, knitting machines, etc. Such prior operations may be seen, for example from U.S. Pats. 3,429,113; 3,534,539 and 3,599,413 and German patent specifications DE-PS 16 85 944, all of which are assigned to the assignee of the present application.
These types of thread processing systems and package handling operations necessarily require an extensive amount of operator time and labor requirements and are therefore expensive in textile manufacturing.